I'm not big on spite, or contempt,
If anyone wants to know anything,
or want's to use the characters or
background, ask me and specify
why and how, I'm nice.
starlight2098@yahoo.com

 
 "...And so we can eaily see how the behaviours of subsentient
beings relate to their morphed counterparts," continued the male wolf
lecturer, Grey sat pretending to listen... and wondering whether Jiffy
was feeling the need for his presence tonight...
"Take for example the fox, the lone hunter, forever on edge... alert and
stealthy, for larger predators, pack animals, or prey... giving them the
outward morphed appearance of being sharp, and slick... you can even see
that in the 'nerds' generated by sentient society... that means you
Delphi," the adressed fox grimaced by the sudden flush of attention and
almost sank into his chair... pathetic, "against bad odds, the fox's
first instinct is to hide, best to avoid danger..." a small laugh cut
through the twenty strong sociology class.
 Jiffy was damn scary some... actually most of the time... for a
poor little squirrel like himself...
"Little Grey up front here," Grey snapped to attention, "squirrels are
renowned for being 'hyper', becuase that's  the way they get things done,
run up the tree, dash along the ground, run away... all in short fast
bursts... and when exited, by fear perhaps, this increases."  Not too
bad... he could retain his dignity at that one.
 "Sex is a good comparison to draw up, the fox seeks out a mate
the same way it seeks out prey, though at differant seasons, and the
female is just as aggressive in this as the male, something most ex-
humans have trouble getting to grips with...  The males and females stick
together for a while, bigger males and females driving off the weaker
ones, ensuring the best mates, they then bond, and stay close together
until the cubs are away, then try to find each other again next year..."
Well Jiffy certainly was aggressive, and certainly jealous sometimes...
 "The squirrel consistantly has a more 'hyper' approach, the males
chase the females around," a little laugh rose again, "yes, they play
'chasey' around the trees, and the idea is that the strongest one is the
one that gets the mate."  ...Ahhh... so much for dignity...
 
                             *      *      *
 
 The sun burned warmly as it sank into the crimson horizon... late
day in college.  Grey sighed and leant against the wall, he needed a
second before going home.  God, the sun was beautiful...  Watching the
clouds float idly by he let the days tensions flow out...
 It felt stange, he wasn't usually a dreamer... but he'd worked
hard lately... and he needed some sort of relaxation, if that meant
daydreaming... what the hell.
 He groaned and began walking along the road out of the campus.
Early Autumn.... he'd learned a sort of pet-hate for early Autumn...
since unusually, that's when Jiffy has her seasons... which meant sex,
and plenty of it... which was good... conditionally... provivded he
didn't mind being bitten all over the place and treat as a predators
plaything... which he did.  Early Autumn generally meant bloodstains in
his fur, painful bites, free time only when it suited Jiffy, and after
the first fortnight, the list included sore nuts.
 Slowly he bimbled back to the semi-detached shared by himself,
Jiffy, and Jez, a gay British ferret on foreign exhange from merry old
Eldon-town on New Britainnia... which translates into 'semi-camp geordie
bastard'... typical of modern society to throw him in with another
predator...  A couple of months back there was a female mouse living
there too... but she dropped out... never said why either.
 The town was a small settlement, largest in the remnants of
Florida, about 2,750 pop, centered around the college and a refinery.  At
least it was pleasant... pleasant that is, for being in a sea of skull-
like burnt out and collapsed houses after a fusion bomb hit 8 years ago.
 
                             *      *      *
 
 Grey walked up to the door and sighed, then grabbed the door
handle... it was unlocked, letting the door swing open he walked onto the
visibly cheap carpet and swung the door shut behind.  Walking into the
living room, he checked the TV, it was off... odd.  He walked into the
kitchen and flicked on the kettle by habit.
 He suddenly noticed Jez standing on the porch just outside the
glass screen... gazing into that wonderful sunshine... quickly spooning
in two teaspoons of coffee he walked out to join the quiet ferret.
 "Thoughtful?" he asked the unmoving creature...
"Hmm..?" the ferret looked over, "didn't notice you coming in..."
"What exacly are you doing out here?"
"Oh..." Jez smiled... "aww, a'm just enjoying the sunset..."
"Oh yeah... it's great around here..."
"And a was thinking about Jiffy tae..."
"Damn Jez, you have the greatest talent for breaking into the tough
conversations..." opon which Jez grinned.
"Dae yee actually bloody enjoy that aow what?"
"Well... yeah... sometimes it's a thrill..."
"The predator-prey thing?"
"Yeah well... Jiffy can be lots of fun sometimes..."
"Let me voice my doubts if I may..."
 Jez suddenly turned and grabbed him around the back and muzzle,
throwing him backwards perfectly, Grey didn't have a second to force a
protest from his open mouth before he found Jez's tongue in it as the
ferret completed the sudden motion in a long and deep kiss...  The mug
cracked off the porch and rolled onto the lawn...
 Jez let go and put him back on his feet just as quickly...
leaving Grey gasping for breath... mostly in surprise and shock...
"Did you find that thrilling?" asked the ferret warmly...  Gathering his
wits Grey drew his arm back to smack the bastard... only to find himself
landing heavily on the porch with a tightly clinging ferret on top...
"Come on Grey, you have to realise that you're the one at the mercy of
the others here..." the ferret whispered into his terrified ear...
 He couldn't reply... the speed and and suprise of it all simple
overwhelming his terrified squirrel mind...  He opened his mouth to say
something and found he could only squeak...
"What was that Grey..?  I want you now... and hard..?  Was it..?" Grey
gasped and continued his terrified high pitched chattering...  Quiet
seconds passed as Jez just held the small, struggling squirrel...
"'S amazing how fast the fight died in you matey boy...."
 Jez let go of the struggling grey creature and stood up...
"Just a bit of advice... ya playin' with fire, and ye' daint realise that
one day it's gonnae take a bad turn and ye, are not going to be able to
do a blidey thing aboot it!"
 With that, Jez walked back indoors, leaving Grey lying on the
porch in stunned silence, unable to beleive what had just happened...
what a seemingly innocent and harmless student had just done to him, and
how easily he could do it...
 He rubbed his eyes and shook himself from his terrified stupour,
he knew exacly what Jez, or Jiffy could do to him... it scared the shit
out of him every time Jiffy was in a certain mood for hells sake!
 He stood up and stormed in, suitably pissed off,
"JEZ! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU DID OUT THERE!?" he screamed at the
ferret, who was sitting down to the television with a fresh bottle of
lager... "ANSWER ME!  I COULD HAVE YOU FUCKING ARRESTED FOR WHAT YOU JUST
DID TO ME!" Jez looked over at the fuming rodent...
"Yee just daint realise that with Jiffy... yee're playing with a fucking
landmine... sooner or later shes not go'n't'be able to stop herself from
daeing yee some real damage!"
"OH! RIGHT! So you just assaulted me to help me understand this!?"
"Well yee daint seem to realise dae ye?"
"I think about it every god-damn night!  Every time she does something
like that too me, I wonder, what if..?" he shouted angrily, "but it's my
fucking choice, and hers, and I've chosen that I'm not going to destroy
her just so that I can feel safe!"
 Just then the door opened and silence fell as Jiffy entered...
"Disturb something did I?" she asked bitterly...
"Nothing..." Grey spat, staring angrily into Jez's eyes...
"Well," she hissed, "that's not what I just heard..." she waited for a
second as Grey felt like sinking into the invisible black sea of oil
below... "WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED HERE!?"  Jez sighed and stood up,
"I gave Grey a little demonstration of why yee're going to get him
killed!" he shouted at her with the suddeness of one with it all in store
for that one particular moment... "ye have to be fucking crazy!  Look at
him!  Ee's half ya fucking size!  He's helpless!"
"Just where the fuck do you think you're sticking your nose?" she replied
with equal acid...
"Where it's obviously needed!"
 Grey could only back off... which he was... inexorably, one step
after another, moving backwards, his heart pounding like fucking crazy...
"Look at him now!" Jez shouted, "just fucking look at him!  He's
practically cowering in the corner!"  Grey felt rage boil up through the
fear... he shouted at the top of his voice at the ferret,
"JEZ!  I THINK YOU'D BETTER GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE NOW!"
 Jez shook his head,
"I'd best bloody well go then!" he walked to the doorway, "I just hope I
never have to attend an early funeral of yours Grey!"  The ferret RAN out
of the door and down the street... quickly dissapearing from view...
 Grey sat down on the couch without a word...  Jiffy quickly
sitting down next to him and hugging him tightly... she began to cry
suddenly... bursting out into tears... Grey hugged her tightly...
 
                             *      *      *
 
 Jez collapsed after running god knows how far... just fell onto
the empty street and began to cry openly...
"Oh god!  What the fuck av'a done!?" he wailed and hid his head from the
sun with his arms...  "Awww bloody hell..."
 He clenched his teeth together but it didn't stop the tears... it
didn't stop the agony coursing from his heart...
"Bloody hell Grey... what've a done!?"
 Minutes passed... a puddle was forming under his on-no-accounts
to move head, and his thoughts were rushing around his mind like a
confused shoal of Mackerel shooting about the dark blue backdrop...
 He felt like shit and then some... like the biggest fuck up in
history...  The sunshine and beautiful sunset were insulting and
painful... he longed for a stormy cold night to drench him in cold
misery... it felt more fitting.
 
                             *      *      *
 
 And so the sun set on the small nameless town... night painting
the blackened sky with stars...  Of course, the town could be named
'misery' at the present... it was damn appropriate...  Life is a bitch...
 The darkness, and the cold were companions that night...